Student Stories - Lukemon Zeb Khan

Lukemon Zeb Khan was thrilled when he was offered a place to study medicine in 2019. Here he describes how he’s navigated student life pre and post-pandemic, and how he hopes to help students like him in the future.

I was thrilled when I received the news that I achieved the results I needed to get into Aston Medical School – it was my first choice, and the closest to home. My parents and family were over the moon, and we went out to celebrate. My dad has always thought that Aston was one of the best universities in the country.

Being at university was completely new for me, and in Freshers Week I got lost a few times. However, this was how I made my first uni friends, and I decided to join the Aston Medical Society, where I got to know the rest of my cohort.

Growing up, I would always see ambulances speed past my home, stopping at local residences. When going to hospital to visit family, I’d always leave thinking that someday I’d become a doctor in primary care, or maybe even a surgeon. I’m still deciding!

Pre-pandemic, a normal day in the life of an Aston medical student consisted of waking up early and getting ready for the 9am lecture. Catching a bus was the hardest part, as the traffic was awful and the buses were always jam-packed. Everyday, I would wish that I had a car – that would have made life much easier.

After the 9am lecture, there would be a compulsory group work session, which I really enjoyed. We were able to get one-to-one teaching if needed, and work in small designated groups with CTFs who helped with the tasks given. And of course – the best part of being a medical student was the dissection room. Let’s just say, you can’t be a doctor if you’re squeamish!

When the day ended, there was time to go out with friends and go to the gym – the latter was the obvious choice for me! On Wednesdays, we’d finish up at 1pm, which meant time for football and going out to eat. Most of our cohort would meet up as we had all gotten to know each other through GP placements or groupwork.

Studying through the pandemic was really hard, especially the end of teaching period exams – those were grueling. We were all glued to our desks and laptops, using Aston Collaborate – which was very engaging, and proved to be useful if there were any technical issues.

The scholarship has allowed me to enjoy uni life and helped with transport and living costs – I don’t have to depend on my mum anymore. It’s also allowed me to get a laptop, which I really needed, and I use it on a daily basis – even now, as I’m typing away. I’ve also been able to buy the right equipment for my studies, like a stethoscope.

Thank you for donating and for helping students. I too hope to donate to the university and help students like me who need the support. I hope to further my career in the field of medicine and be able to give back to the community in the future.

'Student Stories' features the stories of scholarship recipients. You can read more about the difference scholarships make to lives of students, on our website?here .